When light excites the chromophores, simple logic gates, or switches, are created, working much faster than conventional switches.

"When light is shined on the chromophores, they absorb it, exciting the electrons," Dwyer said. "The energy released passes to a different type of chromophore nearby that absorbs the energy and then emits light of a different wavelength. That difference means this output light can be easily differentiated from the input light, using a detector."

Dwyer said the experiment was the first demonstration of such an active and rapid processing and sensing capacity at the molecular level.

"Conventional technology has reached its physical limits. The ability to cheaply produce virtually unlimited supplies of these tiny circuits seems to me to be the next logical step," he said.